Fwd: FW: Scottish Executive consultation on renewable energy

>�Dear All
>
>�I wonder if I could ask you to help us with our climate change
>�campaign and spread the word about our latest e-action?
>
>�The Scottish Executive is currently consulting on planning guidance
>�for renewable energy - and this is a great opportunity for us to
>�influence this, so we have put together an "e-action".
>
>�This is a rather special one in that it is only for e-campaigners
>�in Scotland (rather than for the whole of the UK), and as we have
>�not had one of these for some time, it is important that we
>�demonstrate that Scottish-only e-asks are worthwhile. The good news
>�is that 350 people have already responded (which is a fair
>�proportion of our 1000 e-campaigners) - but we would like to
>�significantly increase this before the consultation closes on
>�October 6th.
>
>�So I would be very grateful if you could firstly, if you haven't
>�already, respond to the consultation, and secondly, forward the
>�following email to your contacts to encourage others to take part.
>
>
>�Julie Stoneman
>�Campaigns Officer (Volunteer DEvelopment)
>�WWF Scotland
>
>�Your chance to help combat climate change!
>
>�We need as many people as possible to respond to the Scottish
>�Executive's consultation on renewable energy and support WWF's call
>�for all new and converted buildings in Scotland to have small-scale
>�renewable energy equipment, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by a
>�fifth.
>
>�Visit http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/about/scotland/sc_0000002923.asp -
>�and then forward this email to your contacts. The consultation
>�closes on October 6th.

GREENS HOME & ENERGY EFFICIENCY TARGETS BILL

>�Shiona Baird, Green MSP for the North East of Scotland, has today
>�formally introduced the Home Energy Efficiency Targets Bill at the
>�Scottish Parliament. A copy of the Bill can be found at
>�http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/
>
>�The Bill will set targets to increase the average energy rating of
>�Scottish homes by a minimum of 20% by 2011 and a further 20% by
>�2020. It would apply to all existing buildings. A consultation on
>�the bill has already taken place - the consultation document can be
>�found at http://www.shionabairdmsp.org/

Climate Campaign Planning Meeting on Wednesday

> Aberdeen Campaign Against Climate Change will hold a planning
> meeting this Wednesday, 20th September, 7.30 pm at New Kings
> Building, Room NK11 (corner of Regent Walk and High Street).
>
> We will discuss:
>
> 1. Airport Campaign: The next steps
> 2. Public Meetings on 9th October and 18th October 3. Planning for
> the 4th November Demonstration in London 4. Accounts and Possible
> Fundraising 5. AOB   Please come along if you can - we need all the
> help we can get during the next few busy weeks!   Thank you to
> everybody who came along on Saturday and helped with our
> display/stall.  There was a lot of interest from members of the
> public, quite a few people joined our email list and we handed out
> all the leaflets much sooner than expected!   Regards,   Almuth
> Ernsting

New cartoon book satirises 'development'

SURVIVAL: New cartoon book satirises 'development' A biting�critique of how tribal peoples are being destroyed in the name of�'development' is being launched by Survival. 'There you go!' is a�cartoon book designed to be read in two minutes.

'[This] little book contains the big message that we must avoid the�arrogance of presuming to know what's best for those whose voices�are not heard in global debates.' Mary Robinson, former UN High�Commissioner for Human Rights.

 

http://www.survival-international.org/thereyougoenter.php

Incinerators / campaign history and recent developments (links)

scottish environment minister against incineration

Plans by French-waste company SITA to build a controversial waste incinerator in Aberdeen have received a severe blow from Scottish Environment Minister Ross Finnie. Comments by the Minister in Parliament makes it more likely that the Northeast Waste Strategy Plan may have to be entirely rethought as it currently does not to meet the government's environmental objectives. The area's Waste Strategy Group recently set out its draft proposals for dealing with the region's waste for the next two decades. The strategy includes an incinerator. Mr Finnie said: "I am concerned that the draft area waste plan for northeast Scotland proposes the early development of new energy-from-waste capacity, whereas the majority of other plans emphasize recycling and composting. I have made it very clear that I do not want to see a rush to burn waste as an alternative to landfill." The incinerator is being opposed by FoE Aberdeen.

* Visit Aberdeen FoE's website: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/aberdeenfoe/index.htm.

[from http://www.foei.org/publications/interlinkages/may2002.html]

 

[the folowing is historic links / current FoES responces and possably "less bad" technology ( July 2006)]

 

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/aberdeenfoe/campaigns-log.htm

 

http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/press/pr20010608.html

 

http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/nation/incineration_or_something.pdf

 

http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/nation/incinerator_guide.pdf

 

http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/nation/Waste_Prevention_2006%20.pdf

 

[ these links indicate a possably "less bad" technology]

http://www.safewasteandpower.com/benefits_power.html

 

 

http://www.tidepool.org/original_content.cfm?articleid=109008

Planning bill progress through parliament

 

The general principles of the planning bill were endorsed by a large majority of MSPs after a debate in the chamber on May 17th.

 

The Planning Bill is now at stage 2 which means that it is being scrutinised line by line at Communities Committee meetings. MSPs can put forward amendments at this stage. Unfortunately, all amendments requiring that the National Planning Framework to be subject to a public inquiry were rejected during the first meeting of the Communities Committee at stage 2.

 

After summer recess, the Communities Committee will consider amendments on third party right of appeal.

If you have not already done so, please take this opportunity to write, email or go to visit one or all of your MSPs during the summer to talk to them about your experiences of planning.

During the summer, it is essential that we let MSPs know that we are wanting planning proposals that are about real rights, not just more consultation.

 

Contact your MSP – from the everyone website: http://www.everyonecan.org/mspcontact/mspcontac t1.html

Fish farmers off the hook again!

The Salmon Farm Protest Group

 

An ruda na bo bhroin, cha bhi e na do thmhnadh

 

‘That which you have wasted will not be there for future generations’

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE – 5th July 2006

 

 

 

Fish farmers off the hook again!

 

 

 

The Scottish Executive’s Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill, published 3rd July, ignores calls for the creation of an independent watchdog to oversee the activities of this substantially Norwegian-owned industry.

 

 

 

SFPG chairman Bruce Sandison said, “After months of now seemingly pointless consultation it’s business as usual for this environmentally disastrous industry. The fish farmers are to be allowed to continue regulating themselves through a voluntary ‘Code of Good Practice’”.

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation chief executive Sid Patten commented: “We are confident that our robust and independently audited Code of Good Practice is the most flexible and cost effective means of achieving a sustainable aquaculture industry…such commitment to high standards is the way to secure employment and investment opportunities in the Highlands and Islands and throughout Scotland.”

 

 

 

Here are some recent examples of the fish farmer’s ‘robust code of good practice’ in action:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public outrage over Marine Harvest shooting seals at Kyle of Lochalsh

Marine Harvest fish farm manager charged for killing a trapped seabird

Mainstream Scotland inflicting light and noise pollution in Rousay, Orkney by floodlighting a farm for six months, powered by a 24/7 generator

Escapes, the latest being upwards of 30,000 fish from an Orkney farm

Angus MacMillan, littering South Uist with his abandoned fish farm debris

Shell fish from Loch Roag in the Outer Hebrides, the most intensively farmed loch in Europe, declared a danger to human health

Marine Harvest identified as one of Scotland’s top 10 polluters

Marine Harvest burying dead fish in an Environmentally Sensitive Area of machair land on the Island of North Uist

Escaped rainbow trout infecting Loch Etive and the River Awe

1,500 fish farm jobs lost in the Highlands and Islands and throughout Scotland

 

 

Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie, announcing the publication of the new Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill said, “A successful industry depends upon public confidence in the quality of its produce and its environmental credentials.”

 

 

 

For information about the work of the SFPG see www.salmonfarmmonitor.org